3rd day of drastically dropped signal strength (+ data connection dropping to Edge if even present)

[palmyra08]

Hi,

1. in same house, few minutes from town centre, 

2. without anybody having newly built a metal cage or a skyscraper around me,

3. in wide open green neighbourhood,

4. on 2 different phones tried with same SIM card:

Over the last 3 days there was a consistently observed (thus not temporary) dramatic loss in signal strength. Normal level was 4-5 bars, now barely seeing one.

Also, data connection that was HSDPA or at worst 3G is now, if even present, dropping to Edge.

As an extra result, beyond atrocious connection, the phones are eating battery like mad as they are trying to max out radio power to some seemingly distant feeble cell. 

How is this even possible? It is a huge change and it is crippling, and tried every part of the house, where I had perfect Virgin (or whatever underlying network is providing it) coverage. 

If I ring helpline, no offence, but I get some person asking me things like did I put the SIM in correctly etc, - so it is IMPOSSIBLE to talk to them or to get beyond this level of idiotic customer support to ask anybody pertinent. 

Any tips on who to contact or what to do much appreciated. 

[paulchambers061 · Accepted solution]

See if there's maintenance in your area.

https://coverage.ee.co.uk/coverage/ee

Or

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Depends on if you are on ee or Vodafone

[palmyra08]

Thank you, will look, not sure which as I have a purple SIM and only vaguely recall that VM changed underlying network for some types of SIMs, but it's lost in the distance of time (and my senility).

[palmyra08]

Oh brilliant, both sites claim excellent coverage in my postcode area... which is then in direct contradiction with the recent drastic drop in signal strength.

I would have suspected the phone if I had not tried in another one, too in all positions in the house...

[palmyra08]

Ah, if I looked under service status tab, which I didn't notice, at least EE is saying service problem in my area and they "are on it". Let's see... but it's been days rather than hours, if the two are the same issue, so it's a bit worrying

[paulchambers061]

Yeah sounds like ee then. Maybe they didn't get early notification

[palmyra08]

Thanks, yep, just rang 789 again and asked what network I am on, they say I'm still EE.

So bingo, base station next to me is gone, and they predict 16 hours or so... so mystery solved, I was thinking I was seeing things last few days.

Many thanks, fingers crossed they hit the issue soon. I must be picking up some base station who knows where... 🙂

[palmyra08]

EE this morning still says 16 hours on the service status page... So they are having a relaxing weekend. If it doesn't get fixed (considering it's been days already), might need to escalate just not sure where. Surely there is some time limit for fixing such fundamental failures of cell loss or am I dreaming...

[paulchambers061]

Sometimes there's problems getting quick access to the land the mast is on, called wayleaves I reckon. For example on farmland or private property. Keep checking for now. If you're at home maybe WiFi calling is an option?

[palmyra08]

This afternoon EE website says the same 16 hours... they never update it and it's been days. The base station in question is on a street, few streets away from me, so should not have access issues. 

I'll try 789 but the subtle point is: I am paying Virgin Mobile for... usable mobile comms, and it's been now 3 1/2 days of virtually no reception, 789 doesn't care and EE will not talk to me as I am not direct EE customer - and they are not fixing this monumental mess. 

It's just not acceptable, and getting very annoyed by now.